Catcha Group: At least One SEA Country Will Accept/Issue a Virtual Currency as a Legal Tender in the Next 24 Months

Catch Group has recently released a report detailing eight predictions for Southeast Asia’s tech business for the next 24 months as the team prepares to mark its 20th anniversary in building internet business across the region.

Since its inception in 1999, Catcha Group has grown to become Southeast Asia leading internet group. They build and invest in disruptive internet companies across emerging markets globally.

Two decades into the business, Catcha Group has made more than 60 investments across 30+ countries. Over the last 10 years, five of their portfolio companies went IPO (4 on ASX, 1 on Bursa Malaysia). And the group also recorded 10x average return on investment across major portfolio assets thus far. Among the group’s most notable accomplishment is when they sold iProperty in 2016 in one of the largest acquisitions in Southeast Asia’s internet history.

Reflecting their journey and experiences in the regional tech ecosystem, the group put together a report to summarise their perspectives on Southeast Asia’s next stage of evolution. In the same report, they also reviewed the predictions that they did in 2017. Six out of seven were proven to be accurate.

And here are their 8 for the next 24 months.

By the end of 2019, SEA will have 460m internet users and $10bn raised in private tech funding

First Decacorn ($10bn+ valuation) will emerge from SEA

A new Unicorn will be built in less than 3 years from launch

Chinese companies remain the largest source of tech funding

At least 2 more IPOs in excess of $500

Consolidation of the SEA tech landscape – there will be 2 acquisitions in excess of $500m

Corporates and governments in SEA will invest at least $1bn in the startup ecosystem

At least one SEA country will accept/issue a virtual currency as a legal tender